BRING ON TODAY!!!!!!

[Avon Royal]

This game wasn't in Jeddah, it was in Birmingham.

Although it's getting harder and harder to tell the difference..............................

[Dirk Gently]

Might have asked you this before, DG, and if so I apologise as I can't remember the answer, but what would happen if the FA turned round to FIFA as said "bollocks to you, we're not implementing that rule in English football". Hypothetical I know as the FA are totally gutless but you know what I'm getting at.

Extremely hypothetical, as the Laws of the Game are actually put together by IFAB (the International Football Association Board). This consists of 5 representatives : 1 from FIFA, and 1 each from the FA's of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The home nations are there as we invented the game - and then gave it to the world.

In terms of votes, each of the home FAs gets 1 vote each, and FIFA gets 4, so they are exactly balanced - FIFA can't do anything on it's own, nor can the home FAs gang up and impose something new onto the rest of the world. 6 votes is required to pass any changes to a law.

So it's unlikely a home nation would decide to "opt-out" of any individual law as they "own" their creation and were involved in deciding them. If another country decided to "opt-out" of a law, they'd probably be suspended from FIFA, which would mean no international participation, suspension of any players who played in their leagues (bad news for any foreign players there) and no cut of many from international tournaments, etc.

As a side-note, it's the four home nations power in making the Laws that's one of the hot issues with the Team GB controversy. Many in FIFA would love to see a Britain or GB Football Association as changing the laws would suddenly be so much easier without the 4 UK votes ion IFAB.

[Pseud O'Nym]

6 votes is required to pass any changes to a law.

6 votes are required, shirley?

That said, very illuminating. I've never heard of IFAB, or understood the power that the "home nations" have, thank you.

[Dirk Gently]

6 votes is required to pass any changes to a law.

6 votes are required, shirley?

That said, very illuminating. I've never heard of IFAB, or understood the power that the "home nations" have, thank you.

You're right, of course. My initial draft said "a total of 6 votes is required" and after that it was all down to sloppy editing.

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

To be fair, I ain't reading all that, but I imagine the general response is 'get the fook in', mixed in with a couple of 'we'll fcuk it up anyway's. At least it makes Monday interesting, plus it's the first time I've had a football related smile on a Saturday for a long time!!

[winchester_royal]

That second Preston goal is probably the most I've enjoyed a goal since Fed's equaliser against Cardiff.

[Ian Royal]

Kevin Phillips 93rd minute winner whith Sheff losing is just as likely.

In fact it's quite likely we throw it away against Norwich. Quite often when all th eresults have gone our way we've not taken advantage.

Not like you to be a doom and gloom merchant Ian!

It's been hard to stay positive. Currently I'm developing a crap prediction habit as a kind of reverse psychology ploy.

[Platypuss]

Kevin Phillips 93rd minute winner whith Sheff losing is just as likely.

In fact it's quite likely we throw it away against Norwich. Quite often when all th eresults have gone our way we've not taken advantage.

Not like you to be a doom and gloom merchant Ian!

It's been hard to stay positive. Currently I'm developing a crap prediction habit as a kind of reverse psychology ploy.

I rather thought you'd had that habit fully developed for years, Ian.....

[papereyes]

On a different matter; am I alone in feeling sorry for Ross Wallace? The last minute of the penultimate game of a long season, he scores the goal that could be instrumental in getting his club into the top flight, and gets sent off for celebrating! FFS why is taking your shirt off a mandatory yellow? Well, maybe if it was women's football, though Sep Blatter would probably positively encourage that.

There are two linked reasons for that :
- FIFA insists on a single set of rules for all matches across the world (rightly so, IMHO, as there'd be so many different sets of rules, otherwise).
- In many countries and cultures across the world the sight of a bare chest is taboo and/or offensive - a major sign of disrespect and so punished by a yellow card.

Now put the two together ....

Its also been a yellow for years and if people are genuinely that stupid ...

did anyone else see Ronaldos celebration this afternoon

He got booked for it.

[Terminal Boardom]

As long as there are dejected Brum fans in the south stand at the end of the game then ill be happy.

I would be a lot happier if there were NO Brum fans in the South Stand with a few minutes to go

Did PNE really do it in the 90th minute? I vaguely recall something like that happening but the rest of the night was just a blur! Oh well, on to Naaaarwich where we will perform our customary o*ford up.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Still not in our hands, we have to win at Norwich first and if that happens we have to hope Palace are good enough to get something off of Sheffield, now who does Colin support again?

Perhaps our best bet maybe to thwart Colin again and let Birmingham win by utilising our stunning home form.

[Schards#2]

cue dismal display at carrow road. i'm far too excited to be optimistic.

I was thinking the same thing!

It's still staggering to think that with 2 games to go we still have a chance of automatic promotion!

How dull this season is! Oh, and uninspiring!

Jees, give it up mate.

I appreciate you don't go to the games but if you read the almost universal response to almost all of our games since christmas, you'll know we've redefined dull.

Then, on a day when we are not actually playing but other clubs cock up, you try and clutch at some sad little straw as if it demonstrates you haven't been proven completely and utterly wrong.

An unusual combination of results has led to a potentially exciting scenario. The football that has produced this scenario has been utterly dull and uninspiring as nigh on everyone who has watched it has said for months and I doubt next weeks game will be any different. Two dull teams in a dull games where the stakes happen to be high.

[Friday's Child]

I won't be behind PNE if they make the playoffs in 6th and we end up 3rd! They are now on a fine run of form and I wouldn't like to play them!

[Royal Lady]

On a different matter; am I alone in feeling sorry for Ross Wallace? The last minute of the penultimate game of a long season, he scores the goal that could be instrumental in getting his club into the top flight, and gets sent off for celebrating! FFS why is taking your shirt off a mandatory yellow? Well, maybe if it was women's football, though Sep Blatter would probably positively encourage that.

There are two linked reasons for that :
- FIFA insists on a single set of rules for all matches across the world (rightly so, IMHO, as there'd be so many different sets of rules, otherwise).
- In many countries and cultures across the world the sight of a bare chest is taboo and/or offensive - a major sign of disrespect and so punished by a yellow card.

Now put the two together ....

Wallace didn't have a bare chest though!

[Chaney]

Still not in our hands, we have to win at Norwich first and if that happens we have to hope Palace are good enough to get something off of Sheffield, now who does Colin support again?

Perhaps our best bet maybe to thwart Colin again and let Birmingham win by utilising our stunning home form.

yes good idea we will let Bham win, then we may finish in 5th or 6th thus having the 2nd leg of the play-offs away

[Ian Royal]

cue dismal display at carrow road. i'm far too excited to be optimistic.

I was thinking the same thing!

It's still staggering to think that with 2 games to go we still have a chance of automatic promotion!

How dull this season is! Oh, and uninspiring!

Jees, give it up mate.

I appreciate you don't go to the games but if you read the almost universal response to almost all of our games since christmas, you'll know we've redefined dull.

Then, on a day when we are not actually playing but other clubs cock up, you try and clutch at some sad little straw as if it demonstrates you haven't been proven completely and utterly wrong.

An unusual combination of results has led to a potentially exciting scenario. The football that has produced this scenario has been utterly dull and uninspiring as nigh on everyone who has watched it has said for months and I doubt next weeks game will be any different. Two dull teams in a dull games where the stakes happen to be high.

Perhaps you should give up defending youself now we're guaranteed play offs and still have a chance of 2nd with two games left. I think you'd find that if RL didn't keep jumping in and having a go at people who make references to your comments, and you did the same people would soon get bored.

The season has not been dull. The season has not been uninspiring. There has not been a Sea change at the club and we are not a mid-table team.

Individual games have been uninspiring certainly, quite a few of them in the last few months. What do you expect over an entire season? The one's I've seen haven't been dull though, even the poor results. Frustrating and disappointing yes. Dull? Never.

Now listening to the games, that can be oxf*rd dull when we aren't doing well!

[Cookie]

HobNob Heaven. Isn't this a wonderful place? Until the referee blows for time up at Carrow Road tomorrow this is definitely the place to relax in cloud-nine-comfort. We could be a Premier League outfit again. And the cookie has crumbled so well for us, we’ve only got to beat The Blues, which we’ve already done rather easily I might say and for Wally’s friend Neil to do him a favour. Oh and to beat Norwich City.

What could be easier than that? This really is the special place at the end of the rainbow.

[Schards#2]

Isn't it amazing that the only people that don't think it's been dull are those that don't go to many/any games

I suppose if you just follow it by seeing the results, then the perfomances don't matter and you can innocently imagine teams of heroic gladiators competing in a frenzied battle that is destined to go down to the wire.

The reality is very much different.

[SLAMMED]

Isn't it amazing that the only people that don't think it's been dull are those that don't go to many/any games .

Iv been to all but one home game this season, and 5 away, and i haven't found it dull.

[Ian Royal]

Isn't it amazing that the only people that don't think it's been dull are those that don't go to many/any games

I suppose if you just follow it by seeing the results, then the perfomances don't matter and you can innocently imagine teams of heroic gladiators competing in a frenzied battle that is destined to go down to the wire.

The reality is very much different.

So you completely missed the part where I said that listening to poor performances is incredibly dull and frustrating?

Maybe those who can't got to as many games as people like you appreciate what they do get to see all the more and don't have over inflated expectations.

I'd hate to think what you'd do if we had been in a relegation fight this season like Derby. You'd have needed to be committed for your own good and placed on suicide watch if you think a strong prmotion campaign is dull and uninspiring.